THE  CULPR  IT  FAY 


THE 


CULPRIT     FAY 


JOSEPH  RODMAN  DRAKE. 


BY  vj* 


NEW    YORK: 

RUDD  &  CARLETON,  130  GRAND  STREET, 

(BROOKS  BUILDING,  COR.  OF  BROADWAY.) 

MD^CCLIX. 


(L. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S59,  by 

EUDD  <fe  CARLETON, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


B.    CRAIOHKAD, 

er,  Stereotyper,  mid  Electrotyper, 

Carton  $3mltitng, 

SI,  S3,  (ind  S3  Cfnlrt  Street. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


"  The  exquisite  poem  of  '  THE  CULPRIT  FAY,'  was  com 
posed  hastily  among  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson,  in  the 
summer  of  1819.  The  author — says  his  biography — 
was  walking  with  some  friends  on  a  warm  moonlight  even 
ing,  when  one  of  the  party  remarked  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  write  a  faery  poem,  purely  imaginative,  with 
out  the  aid  of  human  characters.  When  the  party  was 
reassembled,  two  or  three  days  afterward,  *  THE  CULPRIT 
FAY'  was  read  to  them,  nearly  as  it  is  now  printed." 


**+  M      A 


"  My  visual  orbs  are  purged  from  film,  and,  lo! 

Instead  of  Anster's  turnip-bearing  vales 
I  see  old  fairy  land's  miraculous  show  ! 

Her  trees  of  tinsel  kissed  by  freakish  gales, 
Her  Ouphs  that,  cloaked  in  leaf-gold,  skim  the  breeze, 

And  fairies,  swarming " 

TENNANT'S  ANSTER  FAIR, 


POEM. 


'Tis    the    middle    watch    of    a    summer's 

night — 
The    earth    is    dark,    but   the    heavens    are 

bright ; 

Naught  is  seen  in  the   vault  on  high 
But    the    moon,    and   the    stars,    and    the 

cloudless  sky, 

And  the   flood   which   rolls   its   milky  hue, 
A   river  of  light  on  the   welkin  blue. 
The   moon   looks  down  on   old   Cronest, 
She    mellows    the    shades,    on    his    shaggy 

breast, 

And  seems  his  huge  grey  form   to  throw 
In   a  silver  cone   on  the  wave   below; 


14  THE  CULPRIT  FA\. 

His  sides  are  broken  by  spots  of  shade, 
By    the    walnut     bough     and     the     cedar 

made, 
And     through     their     clustering     branches 

dark 

Glimmers  and  dies  the   fire-fly's  spark — 
Like  starry  twinkles  that  momently  break, 
Through   the    rifts   of   the    gathering   tem 
pest's  rack. 


„• 
n. 


The   stars  are  on  the  moving  stream, 
And  fling,   as  its  ripples  gently  flow, 

A  burnished  length  of  wavy  beam 
In  an  eel-like,  spiral  line   below ; 

The  winds  are  whist,  and  the  owl  is  still, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  15 

The  bat  in  the   shelvy   rock   is  hid. 
And  naught  is  heard   on  the    lonely  hill 
Bat    the    cricket's    chirp,    and    the    answer 
shrill 

Of  the   gauze-winged   katy-did; 
And   the    plaint   of  the   wailing  whip-poor- 
will, 

Who  moans   unseen,  and  ceaseless  sings, 
Ever  a  note   of  wail  and  woe, 

Till   morning  spreads  her  rosy   wings, 
And   earth  and  sky   in  her  glances  glow. 


in. 


'Tis  the  hour  of  fairy  ban  and  spell ; 
The     wood-tick     has     kept     the     minutes 
well; 


16  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

He    has  counted  them   all   with    click    and 

stroke 

Deep  in   the   heart  of  the   mountain  oak, 
And  he  has  awakened  the  sentry  elve 

Who  sleeps  with  him  in  the  haunted  tree, 
To  bid  him  ring  the  hour  of  twelve, 

And   call   the   fays   to  their  revelry; 
Twelve  small  strokes  on  his  tinkling  bell — 
('Twas    made    of    the    white    snail's    pearly 

shell;) 

"  Midnight  comes,  and   all   is  well ! 
Hither,  hither,   wing  your  way ! 
'Tis  the  dawn  of  the   fairy-day." 


IV. 


They  come   from   beds  of  lichen  green, 
They  creep  from  the  mullen's  velvet  screen ; 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  17 

• 

Some  on   the   backs  of  beetles  fly 
From  the  silver  tops  of  moon-touched  trees, 
Where  they  swung  in  their  cobweb  ham 
mocks  high, 

And   rocked  about  in  the  evening  breeze  ; 
Some  from  the  hum-bird's  downy  nest — 
They  had  driven   him  out  by  elfin  power, 
And,    pillowed    on    plumes    of  his    rain 
bow  breast, 

Had  slumbered  there  till  the  charmed  hour ; 
Some  had  lain  in  the  scoop  of  the  rock, 
With  glittering  ising-stars  inlaid  ; 

And  some  had  opened  the  four-o'clock, 
And  stole  within  its  purple  shade. 

And  now  they  throng  the  moonlight  glade, 
Above — below — on  every  side, 

Their  little  minim   forms  arrayed 
In   the  tricksy  pomp  of  fairy  pride  ! 


l8  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 


v. 


They  come  not  now  to  print  the  lea, 
In  freak   and   dance   around  the   tree, 
Or  at  the  mushroom  board  to  sup, 
And     drink     the     dew     from     the     butter 
cup; 

A  scene  of  sorrow   waits  them   now, 
For  an  Ouphe  has  broken  his  vestal  vow; 
He   has  loved  an  earthly  maid, 
And   left  for   her  his  woodland   shade  ; 
He   has  lain  upon  her  lip   of  dew, 
And  sunned  him  in   her  eye   of  blue, 
Fanned  her  cheek   with  his   wing  of  air, 
Played   in  the  ringlets  of  her  hair, 
And,  nestling  on  her  snowy  breast, 
Forgot  the   lily-king's  behest. 
For  this  the   shadowy   tribes   of  air 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  1 9 

To  the   elfin  court  must  haste   away : — 
And  now  they  stand  expectant  there, 
To   hear  the   doom  of  the   culprit  Fay. 


VI. 


The  throne   was  reared   upon  the  grass, 
Of  spice-wood  and  of  sassafras ; 
On  pillars  of  mottled  tortoise-shell 

Hung  the   burnished  canopy — 
And  over  it  gorgeous  curtains  fell 

Of  the  tulip's   crimson   drapery. 
The   monarch  sat  on  his  judgment-seat, 

On  his   brow  the   crown  imperial  shone, 
The  prisoner  Fay  was  at  his  feet, 

And  his    peers   were    ranged    around  the 
throne, 


20  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

He   waved  his  sceptre   in  the   air, 

He   looked  around  and  calmly  spoke; 

His  brow   was  grave   and  his  eye   severe, 
But    his     voice     in    a    softened     accent 
oroke : 


VII. 


"Fairy!   Fairy!   list  and  mark: 

Thou   hast  broke  thine  elfin  chain; 
Thy   flame-wrood     lamp    is    quenched    and 

dark, 
And  thy  wings    are    dyed  with  a  deadly 

stain — 
Thou  hast   sullied  thine   elfin  purity 

In    the     glance    of    a    mortal    maiden's 
eye, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  21 

Thou  hast  scorned  our  dread  decree, 
And  thou   shouldst  pay  the  forfeit  high, 

But  well   I  know  her  sinless   mind 
Is  pure  as  the  angel  forms  above, 

Gentle   and  meek,  and  chaste  and  kind, 
Such  as  a  spirit  well  might  love  ; 

Fairy!    had  she   spot  or  taint, 

Bitter  had  been  thy  punishment. 

Tied  to  the  hornet's  shardy  wings ; 
Tossed   on  the  pricks  of  nettles'  stings; 
Or  seven   long  ages  doomed   to  dwell 
With     the     lazy     worm     in     the     walnut- 
shell  ; 

Or  every  night  to  writhe  and   bleed 
Beneath  the   tread   of  the   centipede; 
Or  bound   in   a  cobweb  dungeon   dim, 
Your  jailer  a   spider  huge    and   grim, 


22  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Amid  the  carrion  bodies  to  lie, 
Of  the    worm,  and  the  bug,  and  the  mur 
dered  fly : 

These   it  had  been  your  lot  to  bear, 
Had    a    stain    been    found    on    the    earthly 

fair. 

Now  list  and  mark   our  mild   decree — 
Fairy,   this  your  doom  must  be  : 


VIII. 

"  Thou    shalt  seek  the   beach  of  sand 
Where      the      water     bounds      the       elfin 

land ; 

Thou  shalt  watch  the   oozy  brine 
Till     the     sturgeon     leaps     in    the     bright 

moonshine, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  23 

Then  dart  the  glistening  arch  below, 
And  catch   a  drop  from   his  silver  bow. 
The   water-sprites  will  wield  their  arms 

And  dash  around,  with  roar  and   rave. 
And  vain  are  the  woodland  spirits'  charms, 

They  are   the   imps  that  rule   the   wave. 
Yet  trust  thee   in   thy  single   might : 
If  thy  heart  be   pure  and  thy  spirit  right, 
Thou  shalt  win   the   warlock   fight. 


IX. 


tclf  the  spray-bead  gem  be  won, 

The     stain     of     thy     wing     is    washed 
away  : 

But  another  errand  must  be   done 
Ere  thy  crime  be   lost  for  aye ; 


24  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Thy    flame-wood    lamp    is    quenched    and 

dark, 

Thou   must  reillume   its  spark. 
Mount    thy  steed  and   spur  him  high 
To  the  heaven's  blue  canopy; 
And  when  thou  seest  a  shooting  star, 
Follow  it  fast,  and  follow  it  far — 
The   last  faint  spark   of  its  burning  train 
Shall  light  the   elfin  lamp  again. 
Thou  hast  heard  our  sentence,  Fay; 
Hence  !    to  the  water-side,   away !" 

x. 

The   goblin  marked  his  monarch  well; 

He   spake  not,  but  he  bowed  him   low, 
Then  plucked  a  crimson  colen-bell, 

And  turned   him   round   in  act  to  go. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  2J 

The  way  is  long,   he    cannot  fly, 

His  soiled  wing  has   lost   its  power, 
And  he   winds  adown    the  mountain   high, 

For  many  a  sore   and  weary  hour. 
Through  dreary  beds   of  tangled   fern, 
Through    groves    of  nightshade    dark    and 

dern, 

Over  the  grass  and  through  the   brake, 
Where    toils     the     ant     and     sleeps     the 

snake ; 

Now  over  the   violet's  azure  flush 
He   skips  along  in   lightsome   mood; 

And  now  he   thrids  the   bramble-bush, 
Till  its  points  are  dyed   in  fairy  blood. 
He    has    leaped    the    bog,    he    has   pierced 

the  brier, 

He  has  swum   the   brook,  and    waded   the 
mire. 


26  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Till    his    spirits    sank,    and  his  limbs    grew 

weak,  . 

And   the   red  waxed  fainter  in  his  cheek. 
He   had  fallen  to  the  ground  outright, 
For   rugged    and    dim    was    his    onward 

track, 

But  there   came  a  spotted  toad  in  sight, 
And    he    laughed    as    he    jumped    upon 

her  back: 
He    bridled   her   mouth    with    a    silkweed 

twist, 

He  lashed  her  sides  with  an  osier  thong; 
And  now,  through  evening's  dewy  mist, 
With     leap     and     spring    they     bound 

along, 

Till  the   mountain's  magic   verge   is  past, 
And    the    beach    of    sand    is    reached    at 

last. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 


XI. 


Soft  and  pale  is  the   moony  beam, 

Moveless   still  the  glassy  stream; 

The  wave   is  clear,  the  beach  is  bright 

With  snowy  shells  and  sparkling  stones; 
The  shore-surge   comes   in  ripples   light, 

In  murmurings  faint  and  distant  moans; 
And   ever  afar  in    the   silence   deep 
Is    heard    the     splash     of    the     sturgeon's 

leap, 
And    the    bend    of    his    graceful    bow    is 

seen — 

A  glittering  arch  of  silver  sheen, 
Spanning  the   wave   of  burnished   blue, 
And    dripping    with    gems    of    the     river- 
dew. 


28  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

XII. 

The  elfin  cast  a  glance   around, 

As    he    lighted    down    from  his    courser 

toad, 
Then     round     his     breast     his    wings     he 

wound, 

And  close  to  the  river's  brink  he  strode; 
He     sprang     on    a    rock,    he    breathed    a 

prayer, 

Above   his  head  his  arms  he  threw, 
Then  tossed  a  tiny  curve  in   air, 

And    headlong    plunged    in    the    waters 
blue. 

XIII. 

Up  sprung  the   spirits  of  the   waves, 
From  the  sea-silk  beds  in  their  coral  caves, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  29 

With  snail-plate  armor  snatched   in  haste, 
They  speed   their  way  through  the    liquid 

waste ; 

Some  are  rapidly  borne   along 
On    the     mailed     shrimp    or    the     prickly 

prong, 

Some  on  the   blood-red   leeches  glide, 
Some   on  the  stony  star-fish  ride, 
Some   on   the  back   of  the  lancing  squab, 
Some  on  the  sideling  soldier-crab; 
And     some     on     the     jellied     quarl,    that 

flings 

At  once  a  thousand  streamy  stings  ; 
They    cut     the     wave     with     the     living 

oar, 

And  hurry  on  to  the  moonlight  shore, 
To  guard  their  realms  and  chase  away 
The  footsteps  of  the  invading  Fay. 


30  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 


XIV. 


Fearlessly  he   skims  along, 

His    hope    is    high,    and    his     limbs    are 

strong, 
He    spreads   his    arms    like    the    swallow's 

wing, 
And    throws    his    feet     with     a     frog-like 

fling; 

His  locks  of  gold  on  the   waters  shine, 
A:  his  breast  the  tiny  foam-bees  rise, 
His   back  gleams  bright  above   the  brine, 
And    the    wake-line     foam    behind    him 

lies. 

But  the  water-sprites  are   gathering  near 
To  check  his  course   along  the   tide ; 
Their  warriors  come   in  swirt  career 
And  hem  him   round  on   even*  side  ; 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  31 

On    his     thigh    the     leech     has    fixed    his 

hold. 
The    quarPs    long    arms    are    round    him 

rolled, 

The  prickly  prong  has  pierced  his  skin, 
And  the  squab  has  thrown  his  javelin, 
The  gritty  star  has  rubbed  him  raw, 
And    the    crab    has  struck  with    his   giant 

claw ; 
He  howls  with    rage,  and  he    shrieks  with 

pain, 
He     strikes    around,     but    his    blows    are 

vain ; 

Hopeless   is  the   unequal  fight, 
Fairy !    naught  is  left  but  flight, 


32  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 


He   turned  him   round,  and  fled   amain 
With   hurry  and  dash  to   the   beach  again, 
He  twisted  over  from  side  to   side, 
And   laid  his  cheek   to  the   cleaving  tide ; 
The    strokes    of    his    plunging    arms    are 

fleet, 

And  with  all  his  might  he  flings  his  feet, 
But  the   water-sprites  are   round  him  still, 
To  cross  his  path  and  work  him  ill. 
They  bade   the   wave  before  him   rise ; 
They  flung  the  sea-fire   in  his  eyes, 
And  they  stunned  his  ears  with  the  scallop- 
stroke, 

With  the   porpoise   heave    and    the    drum- 
fish  croak. 
Oh  !    but   a  weary  wight   was   he 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  33 

When   he    reached    the    foot   of   the    dog 
wood  tree. 

—Gashed  and   wounded,  and  stiff  and  sore, 

He  laid  him  down  on  the  sandy   shore; 

He   blessed  the  force  of  the   charmed  line, 
And  he  banned  the   water-goblin's  spite, 

For    he    saw  around  in    the    sweet    moon 
shine 

Their  little  wee   faces  above   the   brine, 
Giggling    and    laughing    with    all    their 
might 

At  the  piteous  hap  of  the   Fairy  wight. 

XVI. 

Soon  he   gathered  the   balsam  dew 

From    the    sorrel-leaf   and    the    henbane 
bud; 


34  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Over  each  wound  the  balm  he   drew, 
And  with   cobweb   lint  he   stanched   the 

blood. 

The   mild  west  wind   was   soft  and  low, 
It  cooled  the   heat  of  his  burning  brow, 
And  he   telt  new  life  in  his  sinews  shoot, 
As    he    drank    the  juice     of    the    calamus 

root 

And  now  he   treads  the   fatal   shore, 
A 5  fresh  and  vigorous  as  before. 


XMI. 

V\  rapped  in  musing  stands  the  sprite 
Tis  the   middle   wane  of  night; 

His  task  is  hard,   his  way  is  far, 
But  he  must  do  his  errand   right 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  35 

Ere  dawning  mounts  her  beamy  car, 
And  rolls  her  chariot  wheels   of  light: 
And  vain  are   the  spells  of  fairy-land, 
He  must  work  with  a  human  hand. 


xv  in. 

He   cast  a  saddened   look   around, 

But  he   felt  new  joy  his  bosom  swell, 

When,  glittering  on  the  shadowed  ground, 
He  saw  a  purple   mussel-shell: 

Thither  he   ran,  and  he  bent  him  low. 

He  heaved  at  the  stern  and  he   heaved  at 
the  bow. 

And  he  pushed  her  over  the  yielding  sand, 

Till  he  came  to  the  verge  of  the  haunted 
land. 


;A  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

She   was  as  lovely  a  pleasure-boat 
As  ever  rairy  had  paddled  in, 

For   she    glowed   with    purple    paint    with 
out. 
And  shone  with  silvery  pearl  within; 

A  scullers  notch  in  the   stem  he   made, 

Ar.  oar  he   shaped  of  the  bootle  blade; 

Then  sprung  to  his  seat  with  a  lightsome 
leap. 

And    launched    afar,     on    the     calm,   blue 
deep. 


xrx. 

The   imps  of  the   river  yell  and  rave; 
They  had  no  power   above   the  wave, 
But    they    heaved    the    billow   before    the 
prow, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  37 

And  they  dashed  the   surge  against  her 
side, 

And  they  struck    her   keel    with  jerk    and 

blow. 

Till  the  gunwale    bent    to    the    rocking 
tide. 

She    wimpled    about    to    the    pale    moon 
beam. 

Like    a    leather    that    floats    on    a    wind- 
tossed  stream; 

And  momently  athwart  her  track 

The  quarl  upreared  his  island  back, 

And    the    fluttering    scallop   behind    would 
float, 

And  patter  the   water  about  the  boat ; 

But  he  bailed  her  out  with  his  colen-bell, 
And  he  kept  her  trimmed  with  a  wan- 
tread, 


38  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

While  on  every  side  like   lightning  fell 
The   heavy  strokes  of  his  bootle-blade. 


xx. 

Onward  still  he   held  his  way, 
Till  he  came  where  the   column  of  moon 
shine   lay, 

And  saw  beneath  the  surface  dim 
The  brown-backed  sturgeon  slowly  swim; 
Around  him  were   the  goblin  train — 
But    he    sculled    with    all    his    might   and 

main. 

And  followed  wherever  the  sturgeon  led, 
Till  he  saw  him  upward  point  his  head; 
Then  he  dropped  his  paddle-blade. 
And  held  his  colen-goblet   up 
To  catch  the   drop  in  its  crimson  cup. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  39 

/ 

XXI. 

With  sweeping  tail  and   quivering  fin, 

Through  the   wave  the  sturgeon  flew, 
And,  like  the   heaven-shot  javelin, 

He  sprung  above  the   waters  blue. 
Instant  as   the   star-fall   light 

He   plunged   him  in  the  deep  again, 
But  left  an  #rch   of  silver  bright, 

The  rainbow  of  the   moony  main. 
It  was  a  strange  and   lovely  sight 

To  see   the   puny  goblin  there ; 
He   seemed  an  angel  form  of  light, 

With   azure   wing  and   sunny  hair, 

Throned  on  a  cloud   of  purple   fair, 
Circled   with   blue   and   edged    with    white, 
And  sitting  at  the   fall  of  even 
Beneath   the   bow  of  summer  heaven. 


40  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

XXII. 

A  moment,  and  its   lustre  fell ; 

But   ere   it   met  the   billow  blue, 
He  caught  within  his   crimson  bell 

A  droplet  of  its  sparkling  dew — 
Joy  to  thee,   Fay !    thy  task   is  done, 
Thy  wings  are  pure,  for  the  gem  is  won- 
Cheerly  ply  thy  dripping  oar, 
And  haste   away  to  the   elfin  shore. 


XXIII. 

He  turns,  and,  lo !   on  either  side 

The   ripples  on  his  path  divide ; 

And  the   track   o'er   which    his   boat   must 

pass 
Is  smooth  as  a  sheet  of  polished  glass. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  41 

Around,   their  limbs   the  sea-nymphs  lave, 

With  snowy  arms   half  swelling  out, 
While  on  the  glossed  and  gleamy  wave 

Their  sea-green   ringlets  loosely  float; 
They  swim  around   with   smile   and   song ; 

They  press  the  bark  with  pearly  hand, 
And  gently   urge   her  course   along, 

Toward  the  beach  of  speckled  sand ; 

And,   as  he   lightly  leaped  to   land, 
They  bade  adieu   with  nod  and  bow, 

Then  gaily  kissed  each  little  hand, 
And  dropped  in  the   crystal  deep  below. 


XXIV. 

A  moment  stayed  the  fairy  there; 

He  kissed  the  beach  and  breathed  a  prayer; 


42  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Then  spread  his  wings  of  gilded   blue. 
And  on  to  the   elfin   court  he   flew ; 
As  ever  ye   saw  a  bubble   rise, 
And  shine  with  a  thousand  changing  dyes. 
Till,   lessening  far,   through  ether  driven, 
It  mingles  with   the   hues  of  heaven; 
As,  at  the   glimpse   of  morning  pale, 
The   lance-fly  spreads  his  silken  sail, 
And     gleams     with     blendings    soft     and 

bright, 

Till  lost   in   the   shades  of  fading  night; 
So   rose  from  earth  the    lovely  Fay-  - 
So   vanished,   far  in  heaven  away ! 
******* 
Up,   Fairy !    quit  thy  chick-weed  bower, 
The   cricket  has  called   the   second  hour, 
Twice   again,  and  the   lark   will  rise 
To  kiss  the  streaking  of  the  skies — 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  43 

Up !    thy  charmed  armor  don, 

Thou'lt  need  it  ere   the  night  be  gone. 


XXV. 

He  put  his  acorn   helmet  on; 

It  was  plumed  of  the  silk  of  the  thistle 
down; 

The   corslet  plate  that  guarded  his  breast 

Was  once  the   wild  bee's  golden   vest; 

His  cloak,  of  a  thousand  mingled  dyes, 

Was  formed  of  the   wings  of  butterflies  ; 

His  shield  was  the  shell  of  a  lady-bug 
queen, 

Studs  of  gold  on  a  ground  of  green; 

And  the  quivering  lance  which  he  bran 
dished  bright, 


44  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Was  the  sting  of  a  wasp  he   had  slain  in 

fight. 
Swift  he  bestrode  his   fire-fly   steed; 

He    bared    his    blade    of  the    bent    grass 

blue; 

He  drove   his  spurs  of  the    cockle-seed, 
And  away  like   a  glance   of  thought  he 

flew, 

To  skim  the   heavens,   and  follow  far 
The   fiery  trail  of  the   rocket-star. 


XXVI. 

The   moth-fly,  as  he   shot  in  air, 

Crept  under  the  leaf,  and  hid  her  there ; 

The  katy-did  forgot  its  lay, 

The   prowling  gnat  fled  fast  away, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  45 

The   fell   mosquito  checked  his  drone, 
And    folded    his   wings    till    the    Fay    was 

gone, 

And  the   wily  beetle  dropped  his  head, 
And    fell    on    the    ground    as    if  he    were 

dead; 

They    crouched    them    close    in    the    dark 
some  shade, 
They    quaked    all    o'er    with    awe    and 

fear, 

For  they  had  felt  the   blue-bent  blade, 
And  writhed    at  the   prick    of    the    elfin 

spear ; 

Many  a  time,  on  a  summer's  night, 
When   the    sky   was    clear  and   the    moon 

was  bright, 
They  had   been    roused  from  the    haunted 

ground 


46  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

By  the  yelp  and  bay  of  the   fairy  hound; 

They  had  heard  the   tiny  bugle-horn, 
They  had  heard  the   twang  of  the   inaize- 

silk  string, 
When  the    vine-twig  bows  were   tightly 

drawn, 
And    the    needle-shaft    through    air    was 

borne, 
Feathered    with    down    of    the    hum-bird's 

wing. 

And  now  they  deemed  the  courier  ouphe, 

Some   hunter-sprite  of  the   elfin  ground ; 

And  they  watched  till  they  saw  him  mount 

the  roof 

That  canopies  the   world   around ; 
Then    glad  they  left  their  covert  lair, 
And  freaked   about  in  the  midnight  air. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  47 

XXVII. 

Up   to  the   vaulted   firmament 

His  path  the    fire-fly  courser  bent, 

And   at  every  gallop   on   the   wind, 

He   flung  a  glittering  spark   behind; 

He   flies  like   a  feather   in  the  blast 

Till    the    first    light     cloud    in    heaven    is 

past. 
But  the  shapes  of  air  have  begun  their 

work, 

And  a  drizzly  mist  is   round  him  cast, 
He    can    not    see    through    the    mantle 

murk, 

He  shivers  with  cold,   but  he  urges  fast ; 
Through   storm   and   darkness,   sleet   and 

shade, 
He  lashes  his  steed  and  spurs  amain, 


48  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

For     shadowy    hands    have    twitched    the 

rein, 
And    flame-shot    tongues     around     him 

played, 

And  near  him  many  a  fiendish  eye 
Glared  with    a  fell  malignity, 
And  yells  of  rage,   and  shrieks  of  fear, 
Came   screaming  on  his  startled  ear. 


XXVIII. 

His  wings  are  wet  around  his  breast, 
The  plume  hangs  dripping  from  his  crest, 
His    eyes    are    blurred    by    the    lightning's 

glare, 

And  his  ears  are    stunned    with   the    thun 
der's  blare, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  49 

But    he    gave    a   shout,    and   his    blade    he 

drew, 

He  thrust  before  and   he  struck  behind, 

Till  he  pierced  their  cloudy  bodies  through, 

And    gashed     their    shadowy     limbs     of 

wind ; 
Howling  the  misty  spectres  flew, 

They  rend  the   air  with  frightful  cries, 
For  he  has  gained  the   welkin  blue, 

And    the    land    of   clouds    beneath   him 
lies. 


XXIX. 

Up  to  the   cope   careering  swift, 
In  breathless  motion  fast, 

Fleet  as  the   swallow  cuts  the  drift, 
3 


50  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Or  the   sea-roc   rides  the   blast, 
The   sapphire  sheet  of  eve   is   shot, 

The   sphered  moon  is  past, 
The   earth  but  seems  a  tiny  blot 

On  a  sheet  of  azure  cast. 
O  !    it  was  sweet,  in  the   clear  moonlight, 

To  tread  the  starry  plain  of  even, 
To  meet  the  thousand  eyes  of  night, 

And  feel  the  cooling  breath  of  heaven ! 
But  the   elfin  made  no  stop  or  stay 
Till  he   came   to  the   bank    of  the    milky- 
way, 

Then  he  checked  his  courser's  foot, 
And  watched  for  the  glimpse  of  the  planet- 
shoot. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  51 

XXX. 

Sudden  along  the   snowy  tide 

That  swelled  to  meet  their  footsteps'  fall, 
The   sylphs  of  heaven   were  seen   to   glide, 

Attired  in  sunset's  crimson  pall ; 
Around   the  Fay  they  weave  the   dance, 

They   skip  before   him   on   the   plain, 
And  one   has  taken  his  wasp-sting  lance, 

And   one   upholds  his  bridle-rein ; 
With   warblings  wild   they  lead  him   on 

To    where,    through     clouds    of    amber 

seen, 
Studded   with   stars,   resplendent  shone 

The   palace  of  the  sylphid   queen. 
Its  spiral   columns,  gleaming  bright, 
Were   streamers  of  the   northern  light; 
Its  curtain's   light  and   lovely  flush 


52  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Was  of  the   morning's  rosy  blush, 
And  the  ceiling  fair  that  rose  aboon 
The   white  and   feathery  fleece  of  noon, 


XXXI. 

But,  O !    how  fair  the   shape   that  lay 

Beneath  a  rainbow   bending  bright; 
She  seemed  to  the  entranced   Fay 

The   loveliest  of  the   forms  of  light ; 
Her  mantle   was  the  purple    rolled 

At  twilight   in   the  west  afar ; 
'Twas   tied  with  threads  of  dawning  gold, 

And  buttoned  with  a  sparkling  star. 
Her  face   was  like  the   lily  roon 

That  veils  the    vestal  planet's   hue ; 
Her   eyes,   two  beamlets  from  the   moon, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  53 

Set  floating  in  the  welkin  blue. 
Her  hair  is  like  the  sunny  beam, 
And  the  diamond  gems  which  round  it 

gleam 

Are   the   pure   drops   of  dewy  even 
That  ne'er  have  left  their  native   heaven. 


XXXIL 

She     raised    her    eyes    to    the    wondering 

sprite, 
And   they    leaped   with    smiles,   for  well 

I  ween 

Never  before   in  the  bowers  of  light 
Had  the   form    of  an  earthly    Fay  been 

seen. 
Long  she   looked   in  his  tiny  face  ; 


54  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Long  with  his  butterfly  cloak  she  played; 
She  smoothed  his  wings   of  azure  lace, 

And  handled  the  tassel   of  his  blade  ; 
And  as  he   told   in  accents  low 
The  story  of  his  love   and  woe, 
She   felt   new  pains   in  her  bosom  rise, 
And  the   tear-drop   started   in  her  eyes. 
And  "  O,  sweet  spirit  of  earth,"  she  cried, 

"  Return     no     more     to    your    woodland 

height, 
But  ever  here    with  me   abide 

In   the   land  of  everlasting  light! 
Within  the   fleecy   drift  we'll   lie, 

We'll  hang  upon   the   rainbow's  rim; 
And  all  the  jewels  of  the   sky 

Around  thy  brow  shall   brightly  beam! 
And  thou   shalt   bathe   thee   in   the   stream 

That   rolls   its   whitening  foam  aboon, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  J5 

And   ride   upon  the  lightning's  gleam, 

And   dance   upon   the   orbed  moon ! 
We'll   sit  within  the   Pleiad  ring, 

We'll  rest  on  Orion's  starry  belt, 
And   I   will  bid   my  sylphs  to  sing 

The  song  that  makes  the  dew-mist  melt; 
Their  harps  are  of  the    umber  shade, 

That  hides  the  blush  of  waking  day, 
And  every  gleamy  string  is  made 

Of  silvery  moonshine's  lengthened   ray ; 
And   thou  shalt  pillow  on  my  breast, 

While   heavenly  breathings  float  around, 
And,  with  the  sylphs  of  ether  blest, 

Forget  the  joys  of  fairy  ground." 


56  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

XXXIII. 

She  was  lovely  and   fair  to  see, 
And  the   elfin's  heart  beat   fitfully; 
But  lovelier  far,   and   still  more  fair, 
The   earthly  form  imprinted  there; 
Naught  he  saw  in   the   heavens  above 
Was  half  so  dear  as  his  mortal  love, 
For  he   thought  upon  her  looks  so  meek, 
And  he  thought  of  the  light  flush  on  her 

cheek ; 

Never  again   might  he  bask  and  lie 
On  that  sweet  cheek   and   moonlight  eye, 
But  in  his  dreams  her  form  to  see, 
To  clasp   her  in  his  revery, 
To  think  upon  his   virgin  bride, 
Was  worth  all  heaven,  and   earth  beside. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  57 

XXXIV. 

"  Lady,"  he  cried,   "  I  have  sworn  to-night, 

On  the  word  of  a  fairy-knight, 

To  do  my  sentence-task  aright; 

My  honor  scarce   is  free   from  stain, 

I   may  not  soil   its  snows  again ; 

Betide   me   weal,  betide  me   wo, 

Its  mandate   must  be   answered   now." 

Her  bosom  heaved   with   many  a  sigh, 

The   tear  was  in  her  drooping  eye  ; 

But  she    led  him  to  the   palace-gate, 

And     called    the     sylphs     who     hovered 

there, 
And  bade  them  fly  and  bring  him  straight 

Of  clouds  condensed  a  sable   car. 
With  charm  and  spell  she  blessed  it  there, 
From  all  the   fiends  of  upper  air ; 


58  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

Then   round  him  cast  the  shadowy  shroud, 
And   tied   his   steed    behind   the   cloud; 
And    pressed    his    hand    as    she    bade   him 

fly 

Far  to  the  verge   of  the  northern  sky, 
For  by  its   wane   and   wavering  light 
There   was  a  star  would  fall  to-night. 


XXXV. 

Borne  afar  on  the   wings   of  the   blast, 
Northward  away,  he  speeds  him  fast, 
And  his  courser  follows  the   cloudy  wain 
Till    the     hoof-strokes     fall    like    pattering 

rain. 

The  clouds  roll  backward  as  he  flies, 
Each  flickering  star  behind  him  lies, 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  59 

And  he   has  reached  the   northern  plain, 
And  backed  his   fire-fly  steed  again, 
Ready  to  follow  in  its  flight 
The   streaming  of  the   rocket-light. 


VI. 


The  star  is  yet  in  the   vault  of  heaven, 

But  it  rocks  in  the  summer  gale ; 
And  now    'tis   fitful  and   uneven, 

And   now  'tis  deadly  pale  ; 
And  now  'tis  wrapped  in  sulphur-smoke, 

And  quenched   is   its  rayless  beam, 
And  now  with  a  rattling  thunder-stroke 

It  bursts  in  flash  and  flame. 
As  swift  as  the  glance  of  the  arrowy  lance 

That  the   storm-spirit  flings  from  high, 


60  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

The  star-shot  flew  o'er  the   welkin  blue, 

As  it  fell  from  the  sheeted  sky. 
As  swift  as  the  wind  in   its  trail  behind 

The   elfin  gallops  along, 
The    fiends    of   the    clouds    are    bellowing 

loud, 

But  the  sylphid  charm  is  strong; 
He   gallops   unhurt  in   the  shower  of  fire, 
While    the     cloud-fiends    fly     from    the 

blaze ; 
He     watches    each     flake     till     its    sparks 

expire, 

And  rides  in  the  light  of  its  rays. 
But  he    drove   his  steed   to  the  lightning's 

speed, 

And  caught  a  glimmering  spark; 
Then  wheeled  around  to  the  fairy  ground, 
And   sped  through   the   midnight  dark. 


THE  CULPRIT  FAY.  61 


Ouphe  and  Goblin!     Imp  and  Sprite! 

Elf  of  eve !    and   starry  Fay ! 
Ye  that   love   the   moon's  soft   light, 

Hither,   hither   wend   your  way; 
Twine  ye   in  a  jocund  ring, 

Sing  and  trip   it  merrily, 
Hand  to  hand,  and  wing  to   wing, 

Round   the  wild  witch-hazel   tree. 

Hail  the   wanderer  again 

With  dance  and  song,  and  lute  and  lyre, 
Pure    his  wing  and  strong  his  chain, 

And  doubly  bright  his  fairy  fire. 
Twine  ye   in  an  airy  round, 

Brush  the  dew  and   print   the   lea; 
Skip  and  gambol,   hop   and  bound, 

Round  the  wild  witch-hazel  tree. 


62  THE  CULPRIT  FAY. 

The   beetle   guards   our  holy  ground, 

He   flies  about   the  haunted  place, 
And   if  mortal   there   be  found, 

He  hums  in  his  ears  and  flaps  his  face; 
The  leaf-harp  sounds  our  roundelay, 

The  owlet's  eyes   our  lanterns  be ; 
Thus   we   sing,   and   dance,  and  play, 

Round  the  wild   witch-hazel   tree. 

But,  hark  !    from  tower  on   tree-top   high, 

The  sentry-elf  his  call  has  made: 
A   streak  is  in  the  eastern   sky, 

Shapes  of  moonlight !    flit  and   fade  ! 
The   hill-tops  gleam  in   morning's  spring, 
The   sky-lark  shakes  his  dappled  wing, 
The  day-glimpse   glimmers  on   the   lawn, 
The    cock    has    crowed,    and    the  Fays  are 
gone. 


FOURTEEN  DAY  USE 

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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 


